Sychnant Pass, mountain pass in Wales
Sychnant Pass is a mountain pass in North Wales that connects the town of Conwy with the village of Penmaenmawr through a narrow, winding road. The route runs between Alltwen to the north and Maen Esgob to the south, passing through steep terrain with old stone walls and dramatic natural features.
The road through the pass was constructed in 1772 to improve travel across the steep terrain, with historian Thomas Pennant praising the engineering work in the late 1770s. In 1830, engineer Thomas Telford designed a new, gentler route around Penmaen Bach to make travel easier for horses and carts.
The name Sychnant comes from Welsh and means 'Dry-stream Pass', describing the watercourse that rarely flows through the valley. The pass served for centuries as a crucial route for mail coaches and travelers, making it a vital connection between coastal and inland communities.
The pass is best explored on foot along the old track just below the main road, where rocky outcrops and natural features are clearly visible. The area offers good access for walking, with viewing points available on the nearby hills Allt-Wen and Penmaenbach.
The rocky outcrop Carreg Felen consists of ancient volcanic lava about 450 million years old with iron streaks that give it a distinctive yellow hue. Visitors walking the old track can see this formation clearly and hear an echo when shouting across the opposite scree slope.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
